2014 October Southern Indiana Power Newsletter

NEWS FROM YOUR COOPERATI www.sinpwr.com CONTACT US OFFICE 812-547-2316 TOLL FREE 800-323-2316 FAX 812-547-6853 EMAIL SINPOWER@SINPWR.COM OFFICE HOURS

7 a.m.–4 p.m., Monday-Friday MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 219, Tell City, IN 47586 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jeff Vogel

Phone: 660-0333 CHAIRMAN DISTRICT 1: LUCE AND OHIO TOWNSHIPS (SPENCER COUNTY)

Michelle Lynch

Phone: 843-5214 VICE-CHAIR DISTRICT 7: CLARK AND OIL TOWNSHIPS (PERRY COUNTY) AND COOPERATIVE TERRITORY IN DUBOIS COUNTY

Kevin Waninger

Phone: 836-4646 SECRETARY/TREASURER DISTRICT 6: LEOPOLD, TOBIN AND UNION TOWNSHIPS (PERRY COUNTY)

Philip Meyer

Phone: 454-2874 DISTRICT 2: GRASS, CLAY AND JACKSON TOWNSHIPS (SPENCER COUNTY) AND COOPERATIVE TERRITORY IN WARRICK COUNTY

Gary Waninger

Phone: 357-2264 DISTRICT 3: CARTER AND HARRISON TOWNSHIPS (SPENCER COUNTY)

Dirk Stein

Phone: 529-8166 DISTRICT 4: HAMMOND AND HUFF TOWNSHIPS (SPENCER COUNTY)

Randy Kleaving

Phone: 836-2536 DISTRICT 5: ANDERSON AND TROY TOWNSHIPS (PERRY COUNTY) KEY STAFF

Steve Seibert PRESIDENT/CEO

Karen Mangum

OFFICE/IT MANAGER

Jeff Hilgenhold

MANAGER OF MEMBER AND CORPORATE SERVICES

Todd Hammond

SYSTEMS ENGINEER

Principles in action

Seven fundamentals of co-op business model October is National Co-op Month, the time of year when the 29,000-plus co-ops in the U.S. take a few moments to ensure their employees, members and the general public STEVE SEIBERT truly understand the value of the cooperative business they own. While I applaud any effort that brings more attention to co-ops, my feelings are best represented by a T-Shirt slogan, “October is Co-op Month — But I Cooperate All Year Long!”

Cooperatives around the world operate according to the same core principles and values, adopted by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). Cooperatives trace the roots of these principles to the first modern cooperative founded in Rochdale, England, in 1844.

All cooperative businesses have at their foundation these seven cooperative principles to follow: 1. Voluntary and open membership 2. Democratic member control 3. Members’ economic participation 4. Autonomy and independence 5. Education, training and information 6. Cooperation among cooperatives 7. Concern for community One of the ways co-ops demonstrate that they are different from investorowned businesses is by actually living the principles. Principle 6, “cooperation among cooperatives,” is our focus this month, and there are many examples that demonstrate how co-ops do this every day. In theory this sounds so simple, answering the question, “Can’t we all just get along?” As it turns out, it’s easier

Steve Fortwendel

LINE SUPERINTENDENT

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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ELECTRIC CONSUMER • OCTOBER 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org

to get along when we focus on what our personal or organizational self-interest is — and find others who have a similar self-interest.

This is how Southern Indiana Power got started. Ordinary folks realized they would be better off working together if they wanted to bring electricity to their community. Once the co-op was established, we soon realized that if we work with our sister co-ops, we can gain control of our power supply, so we formed over 60 generation and transmission cooperatives such as Hoosier Energy, your local generation and transmission cooperative.

This pattern kept repeating, and soon electric co-ops cooperated to form new co-ops that offer a variety of services, such as financing, insurance, IT services and more to ensure that they had ownership and control over these core products. This was done to help serve you, our memberowners, by making sure there would be no interruption in these vital services that help us bring electricity to you.

This cooperation among cooperatives continues today, not only with co-ops directly related to the provision of electricity but in other sectors as well. Electric co-ops partner with credit unions, food co-ops, housing co-ops and others to help bring critical services to rural residents and businesses throughout the country.

So while we take special note of the value of our cooperative in October, we are delighted to be a part of our community delivering vital services to you all year long.

STEVE SEIBERT is the president/CEO of Southern Indiana Power.

IVE Rate Schedule How to compute your monthly electric bill

BOO’-tify your home with safety

this Halloween.

HEED THESE SIMPLE SAFETY TIPS FROM SOUTHERN INDIANA POWER: • Light your Jack o’lanterns with battery-powered lights or light sticks instead of candles.

• Only use outdoor fixtures that are rated as “waterresistant/UL-approved for outdoor use.”

• Use only covered electric outlets with GFCIs. • Decorations don’t belong on utility poles, transformers or meters • Light stakes may look cool but when decorating with them make sure they’re not a tripping hazard.

• Keep cords away from sidewalks and pathways.

• All outdoor lighting – including low-voltage outdoor security lights and any Halloween lights – should be grounded.

• One good extension cord doesn’t deserve another.

Therefore, don’t plug one extension cord into another.

FALL INTO THESE OTHER SAFE PRACTICES: • Change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

• Consider installing a carbon monoxide detector in your home if you have gas appliances.

• Finally, be aware of oversized farm equipment on and alongside roads during harvest season.

Shown below is the rate schedule information needed to figure your bill for electric use in September.

Wholesale power cost tracker $0.00678 Indiana sales tax $0.07 General Service Rate Facility charge All kWh

$24.50 per month $0.0975

Off-Peak Heating Systems Facility charge $28.50 per month All kWh $0.0975 Energy used for off-peak heating systems between 11 p.m.-7 a.m. (EST) All kWh $0.053 Monthly Security Light Billing 175-watt mercury vapor 100-watt H.P. sodium 400-watt mercury vapor

$7.50 per month $7.50 per month $11.50 per month

Electric bills due by the 27th of each month.

Visa, Mastercard and Discover accepted.

Online payment also avilable at www.sinpwr.com.

$50 monthly drawing

Would you like to win a $50 credit on your electric bill? You could if you follow these simple rules: 1. Clip out the coupon below.

2. Fill out and return to our office along with your monthly payment before the 20th of the month. (Delinquent payments are not eligible.)

3. Coupons are dated monthly and are not available at the office.

You are automatically entered in the drawing if you have your bill withdrawn from your bank’s checking or savings account (ACH) or if you pay your bill online by the 20th.

The winner will be notified and the name published in the following monthly publication of Electric Consumer.

AUGUST’S WINNER: Dan Dorn

$50 monthly drawing FOR BILLS DATED OCT. 10 PAID BY OCT. 20

Two Southern Indiana Power members each won a $50 bill credit.

Robert Maxey’s name as drawn from all members who completed the annual meeting survey.

Matthew Harmon’s name was drawn at the annual meeting from all members who are newly registered or currently participating in the Energy Management Switch program.

NAME: ________________________________________________ ADDRESS:_____________________________________________ PHONE: _______________________________________________ ACCOUNT #:___________________________________________

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Southern Indiana Power

Attention members!

Survey planned for November through January As a member-owned cooperative, the better Southern Indiana Power gets to know you, the better we can serve you. That’s why we occasionally conduct surveys of a limited number of our members.

Southern Indiana Power consumers will be contacted by our survey representative for a telephone or Internet survey. Information about the types of heating and cooling systems, electronic devices and appliances used by our consumers is helpful. The information collected about the way you use electricity and other information will help your electric cooperative in planning future power delivery facilities and develop marketing programs that are of value to you.

During this survey, you will never be asked for your name, account number, banking or credit card information, or payment of any type.

Service to members is our number one priority and we ask customers to report any problems related to the survey to us at 812-547-2316.

Pole treating to begin To help maintain high quality and reliable service while delivering electricity to our members, Southern Indiana Power conducts several annual preventative maintenance programs. One such measure is utility pole inspection and treatment. Southern Indiana Power contracts with a company to treat utility poles in a rotating cycle. Crews from Geoforce Utility Technologies will be in the Rose Hill area of Spencer County for approximately three months, beginning Oct. 13, to treat 3,000 poles.

Co-op employees receive safety training

Pictured above are the Southern Indiana Power linemen who recently received safety training. Terry Adkins, senior loss control/risk management specialist with Indiana Electric Cooperatives, provided Underground Residential Distribution (URD) switching safety training Aug. 27. He brought a cable location fault finder to demonstrate to Southern Indiana Power line workers the following: k How to isolate and sectionalize bad cables, bad transformers, bad secondary or service cable; k How to utilize proper grounding procedures; and k How to use personal protective equipment.

The training session also included a general discussion of safe work practices. Cooperative employees whose jobs require them to work in the field go through several hours of safety training each year. The training focuses on the many aspects of safe and reliable delivery of electricity.

SUDOKU

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ELECTRIC CONSUMER • OCTOBER 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org

Highlights of Aug. 27 board meeting In an effort to keep you informed of your cooperative’s operations and activities, the following are highlights of the Aug. 27 board meeting.

1. All directors were present along with CEO Steve Seibert and Administrative Assistant Lisa Hinton. Also present were Youth Tour participants Emily Davis and Hannah Brown.

2. The July 30 and Aug. 21 board meeting minutes were reviewed and approved.

3. The membership certificates and vouchers were reviewed and approved.

4. The directors report was reviewed and approved.

5. Seibert gave a brief update on a REDLEG loan application to be submitted by Perry County Port Authority in the near future.

6. Seibert updated directors on the capital credit retirement notices for the years of 1979-1983 that were mailed out the first of August.

7. The first item of new business was a presentation by Youth Tour participants Emily Davis and Hannah Brown.

8. The CEO report was presented with Seibert reporting the following items: a. Seibert provided an update on the city of Tell City’s annexation plans. A remonstrance has been filed. A special judge will preside over the case. b. Seibert reported 1,700 Action.coop

comment cards have been returned by members. c. Seibert informed directors 188 Southern Indiana Power members have enrolled in the Air Evac program. d. A Hoosier Energy end use survey will be conducted November through January. e. Member information meetings will be held in October. Seven district meetings are scheduled. f. The cooperative is scheduled for NRECA Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP) review in October. g. Seibert provided directors an update on the cooperative’s small power generation accounts. h. Seibert reported on employee training and certification achievements. i. Seibert informed directors of the following dates – Indiana Electric Cooperative (IEC) service territory preservation legislative hearing – Sept.

2; NRECA Regional Meeting – Sept.

4-5; IEC Washington, D.C., Fly In – Sept. 9-10; Perry County Chamber of Commerce annual membership picnic – Sept. 11; Seibert will attend a House Science Committee Meeting – Sept. 17; Hoosier Energy tour – Oct. 8.

9. Terry Adkins, senior loss control/risk management specialist with Indiana Electric

Cooperatives, provided URD switching safety training Aug. 27. Seibert advised there were no lost-time accidents and no public liability claims to report.

10. The board approved proposed changes to Policy # 202.R2 Director Duties to reflect co-op bylaws.

11. Seibert discussed the Hoosier Energy Wholesale Power Cost Tracker increase that will become effective Oct. 1. The board approved an increase of 88 cents per 1,000 kWh. 12. Seibert reported on an annual meeting committee meeting held Aug. 15. The format for the 2015 annual meeting will remain the same.

13. Seibert reported on a capital credit committee meeting that was held Aug. 1.

14. Recommendations from the Wage and Salary Committee were presented by committee chairman K. Waninger and approved by the board.

15. Director G. Waninger reported on a two-day Hoosier Energy board forum held Aug. 11-12.

16. Director Kleaving reported on the Indiana Electric Cooperative board meeting held Aug. 20.

17. The next two regularly scheduled board of directors meetings will be held Wednesday, Sept. 24, and Wednesday, Oct. 29.

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